


Chapter Thirty-Six: Dissident Aggressor

by CavalierConvoy



Series: MTMTE Series One: Shoot Straight with a Crooked Gun [37]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers Generation One, Transformers Generation Two
Genre: Astronomy, Engineers, Gen, Geology, Other, Rescue Missions, supernova
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-20 14:32:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3653913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CavalierConvoy/pseuds/CavalierConvoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part Three of <i>Ten Seconds To Sunrise</i>: The skirmish against Legion proved no challenge for the Wreckers, but the hotheads assigned to the sappers are getting antsy for some action. When word reaches the team leaders that an Elite Guard detail is joining them with the orders to "assist" in clean up, Artemis is torn between completing her assigned objective with the escape pod and getting the hell out of the system before the EG can haul her aft back to Iacon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chapter Thirty-Six: Dissident Aggressor

Exploding, reloading, this quest never ending  
Until I give out my last breath  
  
I'm stabbing and bawling, I'm punching and crawling  
Hooks to my brain are well in  
I'm stabbing and bawling, I'm punching and crawling  
I know what I am, I'm Berlin  
\--"[Dissident Aggressor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_mpt8xyZVI)" by Judsas Priest, from  _Sin after Sin_

 _Xantium_ Shuttle Bay Seven  
Betelgeuse IV  
Five Stellar Cycles Ago  
One Megacycle Before Green

The sappers and their security detail were deployed last, sent in once the first wave pushed the wave of Legion from target zero. Springer and Roadbuster each had a main front, utilising a pincher strategy; Kup led a flank guard of air support and surface-to-air troops. Her concentration was keeping hers and Dipstick's squads alive, while remaining in communication with Perceptor's snipers, who would also act as spotters for the other teams. Cavalier opted to join them, in part because Perceptor intrigued her. Also on sniper detail was Moonracer, one of Elita-One's inner circle bodyguards.

"Security's not as crucial as it once was in Iacon," the green and silver Autobot had informed Artemis just before deployment. "I was getting twitchy, so figured I'd throw my chits in with an outfit with a little more adventure."

"Adventure," Kup had grumbled when the snipers left for briefing, "even the scraplet knows this isn't a game."

While in the holding pattern, Artemis took the time to meet those new to her team. Other than Sandstorm, she had at best met in passing; at worst, never seen before. Broadside, a massive triple-changer, was in the latter group. Twintwist and his twin Topspin were the third and fourth active roster Wreckers she had met, after Roadbuster and Whirl, although they were reserved, keeping to themselves. Scoop, another Wrecker she had met on this mission, was an engineer by trade, and volunteered to act as intermediary between Artemis's squad and Dipstick's.

Broadside was vocal about being curbed to security detail. "I joined up to fight 'Cons, not to babysit —"

"What, you were expecting glory? Excitement? Adventure?" Artemis snapped. "Frag, if this your first mission, no wonder you get stuck with training wheels."

The triple-changer took a step forward in attempt to intimidate her, but advanced no further; drawing the Forge one-handed, Artemis pressed the head into his chest, pushing him back. "You got a death wish? I'm here to keep you alive, and the only way you're gonna do that is listen sharp and follow orders. You want to go a round with me, you do that after the mission. But right now, we've got an escape pod to secure and an engineering team to protect, and if I hear you gripe about it again, the next time Whirl gets grounded, you're babysitting him. Understood?" She did not wait for an answer, only withdrew the hammer and returned it to its magnetic sheathe. "Dipstick, give us a rundown of the terrain."

"Damn thing came in hot, burrowing into the southeast face of a cryovolcano. For those of you with vacant brainboxes, that's a volcano that throws out joint-shattering water-and-ammonia slag instead of face-melting molten-rock slag. Which poses a problem because the pod did come in hot, and most rock on a methane-based planet is made from water. With temps normally at a balmy two-hundred degrees in the red on planets like these, I'm serious: it's harder than your cranial platings. Thus we got some flash melt, flash freeze action going. And where we have the problem of working in a methane-nitrogen atmosphere, thin as it is, because we can't pull off open heat elements without risking a flame out."

"We may be able to utilise halite-blasting to loosen the area around the 'pod," Scoop pointed on a screen in the table, "the alloy is maintaining some heat, which may work to our advantage."

Artemis pulled up a three-dimensional map of the area. Using her finger to draw out a "V" from target, she circled two points, then drew an arc connecting them. "Two pylons for light railgun turrets; Twintwist, Topspin, you're manning those positions. Broadside, Sandstorm, we're on the ground. Scoop, I want you cooperating with Dipstick's sappers. Percy's got his snipers covering our afts here —" she indicated the ridge of the cryovolcaon "—and here." Another spot, midway down the rock face, on a ledge. "We get the green from Springer, we're hitting the ground running. Dipstick, things go south with the 'pod, you let us know and we'll get your team back to to the shuttle. Everyone on the same page?"

"Just a suggestion," Sandstorm mock-whispered to Broadside, "you may want to respectfully decline her after-mission offer."

 

*  
Ten cycles after green  
Betelgeuse IV surface  
Zero Point

Support squads were in position; Artemis took to the sniper's post to survey the situation of the other two, larger attack fronts. Thus far, the battle was contained to a valley two klicks north-west, one Cavalier referred to as Blood Gulch.

"Every valley a battle takes place is called Blood Gulch to you," Artemis grumbled, peering through the 'nocs. Moonracer, Cavalier, and a third Autobot by the name of Catapult were set up behind blinds, picking off stray Legion; Perceptor was acting as spotter, although he was doing his fair share of bringing down the enemy. The attack front was light; it was unusual for Wreckers to outnumber the opposition. "I should be down there."

"Might I again stress the — twelve degrees, five-hundred-thirty-two meters, Cavalier — importance of your mission? Four degrees, seven-hundred-fifty-six meters, Moonracer." Perceptor reminded.

Artemis set the 'nocs down, biting down on her lower lip. "Something doesn't seem right. I'm gonna get Sky to scan the system — "

_"Tankor to Prime."_

"And what timing," she groaned, sliding back to let the snipers do their job. "Told you not to call me that," she growled. "What's your status?" She wanted to ask why he hailed her and not Skyfire, but he beat her with the answer.

_"Sky's on the other line; looks like the Elite Guard got wind of this operation."_

"Well, that complicates things." Switching comms, she hailed, "Oi, Springer! We got Eee—Gee on our tailpipes!"

"We're on it — continue the operation!"

"Understood." She slid down the rock face, hitting solid ground and ran to the sappers' site. They had trenched a semicircle with a pair of scaffolding towers, using natural rock formations to create a killzone; Topspin and Twintwist manned the railguns guns atop the towers.

"Step it up, boys, the Senate sent their shiniest," Artemis snapped. "Dipstick, give me good news!"

"Good news is the halite blasting is working," Dipstick reported, rubbing his brow. He led her to the back of the canyon, to the escape pod. His team had excavated the ice-rock around, but still had a ways to go. "Slow, but working. We've been communicating with the occupant via knock code against the hull. Problem is, the hatch is inaccessible, and without knowing the exact make of the pod, cutting through could be a death trap for all of us. We can't disengage the power because we can't figure out where it is."

"Do what you can to free him. Tankor, you still there?"

_"You call me Tankor, I call you Prime. Yeah, I'm still here."_

"Is Sky picking up anything out of the ordinary?"

_"You mean other than the star reaching impending supernova any stel now? I'll ask once he's finished negotiating. And by negotiating, I mean arguing in the name of scientific endeavours. Seriously, I never knew nerds could get so violent. I'm thinking I'm understanding why you get off on them."_

"Percy's toting a sniper rifle these days; don't underestimate the smart ones." Cutting transmission, she turned on her heel, storming to the trench. "Broadside! Hang back — we may need an escape route to the Xantium if things go south."

"Wait, we're not going to fight?" Broadside protested.

"Not our mission," she snapped. "This is a rescue detail. Sandstorm, with me! Perceptor, a word!"

Her comm buzzed. _"What do you need?"_

"We've got a 'pod with no way to get in, the sappers don't know the make and they don't want to take a risk blowing us to the Allspark by cutting into it. Any advice?"

_"I'm on my way."_

_"Art, you may want to bail soon,"_ Springer transmitted. _"The Eee-Gee are getting restless."_

"Sit-rep?" she demanded as Sandstorm fell into step with her.

 _"Legion's not the problem now,"_ Springer reported. _"I wouldn't be surprised if this was a decoy to keep us from a bigger threat."_  
_"_

That's what I was afraid of. Who fed us the intel?"

_"That's unimportant now; you need to get out of the system before the Eee-Gee comes down on us."_

Artemis growled. "Understood." Ending the communication, she turned her head to her triple-changer, mouth close to his audio receptor. "Get Cav — discreetly — and meet back with Octane and Skyfire. I've got some loose ends to tie up here."

"What's going on?" Sandstorm whispered.

"Springer thinks this may be a decoy; have Sky find out who fed us the intel. If you don't hear back from me in fifty cycles, head to the next set of coordinates; I'll hitch a ride with the _Xantium_ and meet up with you."

"Art — "

"I will not live in fear under the shadow of the Senate," she snarled. "I'll see this to the end. You're in charge until I get back."

Sandstorm wanted to argue, but nodded as Perceptor joined them in the trench. "You have fifty cycles."

Artemis clapped the triple-changer's shoulder as she approached the red and black Autobot, pointing her chin in the direction of the dig site, before falling in step. "At least one life-sign, limited communication using Cybertronian knock code. Other than that, I've got not much else."

Perceptor was muttering equations, taking in all the surroundings. Upon approaching the 'pod, he raised his voice. "Low yield seismic grenades placed in twelve meter intervals every twenty degrees; that will loosen the rock without severely damaging the escape pod. Ion radiation is isolated to the left-of-centre manifold, levels indicating running five percent power. Dipstick, please alert the occupant that, if possible, to give more power to the shields, gradually. It will help with breaking the weakened ice surrounding the fuselage." Dropping his tone to a whisper, he added to Artemis, "You should leave with your team; I can handle operations from here."

"I'm not leaving you to handle a trigger-happy triple-changer itching for a fight," she countered, splitting away from him and back into the trench. "Topspin, Twintwist, optics skyward! I want to know if we get incoming. Skyfire, Tankor, give me an update."

 _"Elite Guard sent a minimal detail to the debriefing with Springer,"_ Skyfire explained. _"We may have dodged a bullet this time."_

 _"Unless you count that shuttle heading to your position,"_ Octane interrupted. _"Arty, we're coming to get you guys now."_

"Fraggit," she snarled. "Oi, Wonder Twins, hold fire unless confirmed enemy — we're getting incoming brass!"

"Why?" This was Broadside, behind her and to the left.

"Because they do anything to discredit us," Artemis retorted, drumming her fingers against the Forge's hilt. "To keep from the public that we aren't just some loose-cannon, trigger-happy outfit of rejects two steps away from being bounty hunters, mercenaries, and Decepticons. They need someone to blame if their hopeless campaigns fail — that's why we get sent in. And every time we do, we do our damnedest to prove them wrong." She glanced over her shoulder, up to meet Broadside's gaze, flicking a ghost of a smirk. "Sorry you joined up yet?"

"Incoming!" Twintwist announced as the roar of an ion engine throttled to the whine of a landing approach. Not the Little Revenge. Too maintained, too shiny. Frag. She disengaged the Forge from its holster, choking it one handed against the hammer's head, and, head down in preparation of a verbal battle, trudged forward as the shuttle landed.

She relaxed a notch when, from its bay ramp, Jazz jogged towards her.

"What does it take," he shouted over the engine, "to get you to obey a direct order?"

"As soon as someone gives me a straight answer about what happened on Earth!" She laughed, catching him in a one-armed hug. "What the hell's going on, Jazz?"

"Long story short: we were kicked off the planet. Which is precisely what we gotta do now."

"LEEEEEEROY JENKINS!" Cavalier cried, catching Jazz and, by proxy, Artemis, in a running bear hug. "Hey, what happened on Earth?"

"Priorities, sister, priorities!" he laughed, stepping away from the two. "The four-one-one's to meet back on the _Xantium_ ; serious low-down's going on downtown, and it may complicate the hunt for our fearless leader. And you may want to brush up on those Sirian loopholes to keep your aft outside the Senate; they've got a bad case of scraplets and you're _numero uno_ on their scapebot list." He flipped a thumb back to his shuttle, where another 'bot, silver and black with the red brow prongs of an emergency response officer, stood half-way, awaiting orders. "That there's my man Bluestreak; he'll take you back to the _Xantium_ and meet up with Sky and the others. Seriously, Art, let me take over ops here; you're better defended when surrounded by unpredictable Autobots."

She frowned, a growl escaping her throat, before nodding. "Only because you asked and I like you, Jazz," she pointed a finger at his nose. "And if you trust Bluestreak, then I trust him too." Turning to face the others, she shouted, "Jazz is taking over — we clean up, get that pod on board, and get the hell off this rock ASAP!"

"You were just bashing the Eee-Gee five cycles ago!" Broadside protested.

"Hey, throttle back, Tiny, I'm on your side!" Jazz protested. "I got Wrecker bros to watch out for, and I intend to keep them on this side of the Allspark."

"Not liking this, Art," Sandstorm growled.

"I trust Jazz," she stressed. "We'll talk more on the _Ell-Arr._ Right now, we've got a situ- " she cut herself off, staring out to reddish-glow on the horizon. "This planet's gravitationally locked."

"Someone else was paying attention to Percy?" Cavalier gasped. "I thought you were too busy dealing with Whirl's whining."

"Frag! Onto the ship! Now!" she snapped, bolting past Jazz before he could comprehend her action. "Perceptor! We got a sunrise!"

While the engineers were clueless on the reason for panic, Perceptor ran out along side of Artemis, outside the cavern and gazed towards the horizon, where a sickening red glow blushed the sky. He observed it at first with wonderment, then dread. "It's started," he whispered. "The star's going supernova."

"All nonessential personnel, onto the ship, now!" She snapped. "Dipstick, sit-rep!"

"Almost got it, Art!" he shouted.

"Broadside, you're under Dipstick's orders for transport; Jazz, order an evac; Wreckers, get the engineering team on board the Eee-Gee ship NOW! Percy, how long do we have till this planet turns into a puddle?"

"Judging from my calculations — "

"Perceptor!"

"Detecting a half-degree rise in temperature within the last five cycles — "

"Time, Perce! How much time!"

"A megacycle before the lake thaws if given the current temperature stays constant, which will likely result in a cumulative increase as the star's corona approaches the planet's orbit — "

"Dipstick, you have ten cycles!" Artemis snapped. "Broadside, I want you primed and ready to leave in twelve! Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" the giant agreed, urgency, not sarcasm, laced his words.

"Art — "

"No time to argue, Jazz. Perceptor, brief him on the planet stats — I've got to evac my crew."

Jazz, despite the situation, allowed a chuckle to escape, and gave her a salute. "And this," he directed to Perceptor, "is why the Senate's afraid."

NEXT CHAPTER:  
_Shoot Straight with a Crooked Gun:_ Kiss Me, I'm Slagfaced  
_Ten Seconds To Sunrise:_ Ninety-Nine Problems


End file.
